Turning the domestic garment industry sustainable is essential to fully exploit opportunities arising from free trade agreements and integrate deeply into the global value chain, according to the Vietnam Garment and Apparel Association (VITAS), which recently said the government’s commitment at the COP26 to achieve net-zero emission by 2050 would push the industry to go green. 

The association’s president Vu Duc Giang said that most fashion brands in the United States, Japan and the European Union (EU) are now more demanding on the quality and sustainability of products following the pandemic.

They also expect suppliers to use green and recycled materials to meet global consumer trends, meaning that manufacturers must be transparent in production and ensure product traceability, which was no longer an option but a mandatory requirement, according to a Vietnamese media outlet.

Although greening the garment supply chain is a trend, the investment was mostly in upgrading the production to save water or use solar energy, while little attention was paid to developing new environmentally-friendly materials, according to VITAS.

Giang also feels it is necessary to improve domestic laws on environment to ensure the appropriateness to global requirements and the situation in Vietnam.

The government should also develop industrial zones specialised for garment and textile production, which meet waste water treatment standards, he added.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)

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